The Role of Panfilo in the Decameron Essay -- Boccaccio Decameron Essa

The Role of Panfilo in the Decameron      Ã‚  Ã‚   Panfilo devotes himself to love. He believes that love conquers all. In this respect, he is the antithesis of Filostrato, who is a man defeated by love. They even have opposite names (panFILO, FILOstrato). Throughout his tales, he pits love versus several formidable adversaries. In his first tale, the love of God overcomes the gullibility of the people of Burgundy. They pray to a man who was quite evil in life, and certainly belonged in Hell, but God answered their prayers anyway because of the purity of their faith. On the fourth day, he is forced by Filostrato to tell a tale in which love does not conquer all, as their outcomes are unhappy. Panfilo cooperates with Filostrato, but in the end love still carries on. The story he tells shows two lovers (Andreuolo and Gabriotto) ripped apart by death. However, after Gabriotto is killed, Andreuolo stays true and faithful to him. Her lover may be dead, but her love for him never subsides and she refuses to marry anyone else. While this story does have an unhappy ending as Filostrato prescribed, Panfilo makes a point to show how love still lives on and is not defeated by death.    Panfilo continues to demonstrate the power of love as he pits it against Fortune in the fifth story. After love has turned Cimon from a bumbling idiot into a fine gentleman, its force is so strong within him that he fights like a lion and captures Iphigenia. Fortune takes over at this point, and with a storm sends him to the island of Rhodes where he is thrown in jail and Iphigenia is sent off to marry another man. At this point, his situation looks hopeless. But, once the Magistrate's love for Cassandra causes him to release Cimon i... ...d that a priest tells them, as the priest in this story denies payment to Belcolore and even takes back the cloak that he had given to her for surety.    Panfilo plays a significant role in The Decameron. He has the responsibility of presiding as king over the final day of their story telling. And, in order to make up for all of the trickery, deception, and infidelity that preceded his day, he creates a theme that will end their trip on a very good note. His theme of magnificence and generosity is a refreshing turnaround from many of the previous themes. Leading up to his crowning, Emilia asked him to make up for the failings of the previous kings and queens. He tried to accomplish this as best he could, by creating a joyous theme.    Work Cited Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. Transl. G. H. McWilliam. Harmondsworth, U.K.: Penguin, 1972.